Temporary final rule, Asylum Interview Interpreter Requirement Modification Due to COVID-19, 85 Fed. Reg. 59655 (Sept. 23, 2020)

The record

Jurisdiction

United States Department of Homeland Security, USCIS (federal agency)

Level

Federal

Authority

8 U.S.C. 1103(a), 1158(d)

Issued

2020-09-23 Sept. 23, 2020

Effective

2020-09-23

End

2022-03-16 (86 Fed. Reg. 51781), after extensions of the Sept. 23, 2020 rule by 86 Fed. Reg. 15072 (to Sept. 20, 2021); the original sunset was Mar. 22, 2021 (read as 2022-03-16)

In force

Sept. 23, 2020 to Mar. 16, 2022

Quarters

2020 Q32020 Q42021 Q12021 Q22021 Q3

2020 Q22020 Q32020 Q42021 Q12021 Q22021 Q3

Limitation types

Courts and public officesOther

Addressees

• affirmative asylum applicants
• USCIS asylum offices

Functions reached

• CRT public-office operations: the Federal Register's own statement that USCIS 'suspended all face-to-face services with the public from March 18, 2020 to June 4, 2020' and thereafter operated under distancing limits
• HR employment authorization timing for asylum-seeking workers

Collection

Federal labor and immigration agencies AGY-FED-LABOR-IMMIGRATION

Operative words

SUMMARY: This rule temporarily (for 180 days) amends existing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulations to provide that asylum applicants who cannot proceed with the interview in English are no longer required to provide interpreters at the asylum interview but rather must ordinarily proceed with DHS-provided telephonic contract interpreters... DATES: This rule is effective September 23, 2020, through March 22, 2021.... In light of the pandemic and to protect its workforce and help mitigate the spread of COVID-19, USCIS temporarily suspended all face-to-face services with the public from March 18, 2020 to June 4, 2020. In an effort to promote safety as USCIS continues to reopen offices to the public for in-person services and resume necessary operations...

Enforcement

Notes